Take A Bow: Violin Prodigy Kenneth Renshaw on Voting, Drinking and Quitting
The International Festival Chorus (IFC) continues to celebrate its tenth anniversary year with a concert this Saturday (Oct 27) featuring 18-year-old violinist Kenneth Renshaw and the Peking Sinfonietta. Renshaw took home first place at the Yehudi Menuhin Young Violinists International Competition in Beijing earlier this year. (Take our word for it – it’s a pretty big deal, and we're sure his violin practice room is filled with many leather-bound books and smells of rich mahogany.) We shot the breeze a bit with Kenneth ahead of his performance. Read on to find out how kids these days get so much better at things than we’ll ever be:
What part of this Saturday's IFC concert are you most excited about?
I'm really looking forward to collaborating with this amazing orchestra. I feel very privileged to play with them. I'm also looking forward to returning to the Beijing Concert Hall. When I performed there back in April, I found the space to be quite inspiring.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play some piano, but not very well. I would definitely like to become more proficient in it. Playing piano reductions of concerti has been enormously helpful in understanding what composers were thinking on a harmonic level.
Have you ever wanted to quit violin?
There have been a few moments when I thought about quitting. Whenever they come up, I always listen to recordings of some of my favorite violinists, and opera singers. They make me realize that there is nothing I could do in my life that would make me happier than playing music.
Have you had a lot of outside pressure, from parents or teachers, to practice or continue playing?
I have always been fairly self-motivated. I was never pushed to play. Once I expressed the desire to pursue music professionally, my teacher pushed me to strive for the highest possible artistic standards, but I always had the option to stop if I wanted to.
How many violins have you had throughout your life, and how long does it take to adapt to a new one?
I have had many violins throughout my life. Too many to remember (most of them were loaned to me). In terms of adapting to a new one, it really depends on the instrument. I have had some violins where it only takes a week or two, and others that have taken several years.
Who’s your idol?
Most of my idols are the great violinists of the past – Jascha Heifetz, David Oistrakh, Christian Ferras, Arthur Grumiaux – to name a few.
Have you ever written your own compositions?
I have written a few pieces for solo piano and as well as cadenzas to some of the Mozart violin concertos. But I hope to become more involved with composition in the future – I find that it greatly stimulates my musical imagination and ultimately feeds in to my violin playing.
What’s the most difficult music to play?
I find that the 6 Sonatas and Partitas of Bach are definitely the most demanding, because the writing is so brilliantly complex. There are so many layers to each work that the performer must understand.
Which other genres of music do you enjoy?
I enjoy listening to just about any kind of jazz. It's very refreshing to hear musicians who have much more freedom to improvise than classical musicians.
How do you feel about being old enough to vote but not old enough to drink?
Hmm ... that's an interesting question. I find voting to be a much more important activity, so at least the voting age is 18 and not 21. Then again, it is very odd that one can join the military in the US at 18, but not drink until age 21 ...
Catch Kenneth at the Beijing Concert Hall this Saturday, Oct 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets run RMB 100-480.
Photo: Courtesy of IFC